<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>April 1, 2015</p><p>Contacts: Matthew Couillard Automated Security Alert, Inc. [email protected] 800-338-7114</p><p>Patricia J. Raffaele Hospital Council of Western PA [email protected] 724/772-7202</p><p>NEW BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP DESIGNED TO HELP REGION’S HOSPITALS AND PAYERS ADDRESS READMISSIONS THROUGH MEDICATION ADHERENCE MONITORING</p><p>Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania and Automated Security Alert, Inc. Enter Into Business Partnership </p><p>WARRENDALE, PA-By helping patients adhere to taking their medications at the right time and in the right amounts, Automated Security Alert, Inc. (ASA) based in Munhall, Pennsylvania, is assisting both hospitals and patients by preventing hospital readmissions due to medication nonadherence. Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania (Hospital Council) and ASA have entered into a business partnership to provide the region’s hospitals with access to ASA’s medication adherence management and monitoring program.</p><p>“We know that medication management is key to helping hospitals prevent readmissions,” Jane</p><p>Montgomery, Hospital Council’s vice president of Clinical and Quality Services, said. “A number of patients are readmitted to the hospital for this very reason. This isn’t ideal for either the patient or the hospital.” Under the Affordable Care Act, hospital reimbursement is reduced for readmissions, no matter what the cause. The amount of hospital readmissions has a negative financial impact on hospitals. “By identifying medication management as a key cause of readmissions, we can now assist Hospital Council members in addressing this issue with our partnership with ASA.”</p><p>In fact, a research brief published by the New England Healthcare Institute, Thinking Outside the Pill Box, noted that “nonadherence has been shown to result in $100 billion each year in excess hospitalizations alone.”</p><p>“We have heard from Hospital Council members that there is a substantial need for medication management solutions to reduce readmissions for chronic care patients as they transition from the hospital to home,” said Mark Drummey, director of Medication Management Solutions at </p><p>ASA. “This partnership will allow us to offer our services directly to these patients in the home setting with individualized solutions and professional support.”</p><p>At a recent presentation to Hospital Council’s Chief Nursing Officers (CNO) Committee, ASA executives heard from CNOs that local hospitals are seeing the impact of medication mismanagement on hospital readmissions. One hospital attributed up to 80 percent of their readmissions to medication mismanagement issues. Through ASA, hospitals will have access to custom programs specific to their needs. “The goal of this new partnership is to improve patient satisfaction and help hospitals reduce not just hospital readmissions, but also hospital admissions, emergency room visits and observational stays related to medication mismanagement,” Drummey said. ASA brings 15 years of experience in medication adherence monitoring to hospitals and payers. </p><p>The local company is headquartered in Munhall, Pennsylvania, where the company’s Life Safety</p><p>Monitoring Center (UL Listed) is also located. Trained operators at Life Safety Monitoring are notified if a patient does not take the medication out of a monitored medication device. The device, monitored through a cellular connection, prompts and engages patients with visual and audible reminders to take their medications at prescribed times. </p><p>If a patient does not take the medication at the required time, ASA’s Life Safety operators contact the patient, and if needed, family members or caregivers. ASA’s Life Safety Monitoring response center operates 24 hours a day to ensure timely intervention for missed medication dosing periods and emergencies.</p><p>“We have been working on issues related to readmissions for many years,” Montgomery said. </p><p>“Hospital Council is excited to offer this new partnership as part of our efforts to assist both patients and providers with medication adherence.”</p><p>Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania is a regional trade association representing more than </p><p>65 health care providers in 30 counties. Hospital Council members include acute care hospitals, long term care organizations, long term acute care hospitals, and specialty providers.</p><p>For more information about ASA visit www.healthprofessionals.automatedsecurityalert.com For more information about Hospital Council visit www.hcwp.org.</p><p>#30 </p>